Fueling the hate
by kawaiiyume312
Summary: This is my take on Thranduil/Thorin meeting at Halls of Thranduil. When the dwarves are slowly losing hope for escape, the Elvenking orders his guards to bring Thorin to his chambers. The question is - why? Where will their confrontation lead?


**A/N: This story is an effect of my fascination with Thranduil. As for the Thorin... well, he definitely is an interesting character, but I guess... I just don't like him that much (but shhhh... ;)) Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

He looked at his enemy, a person whom he wished only harm and... the longer he looked at him, the more he confirmed his beliefs that he could not hate him. This thought was driving him crazy. He felt like his insides were boiling. His skin, his organs - every element of his body burned with wild anger, which he wasn't able to turn into hatred for his enemy. Why? Well, Thorin Oakenshield didn't know. But he knew, or rather felt subconsciously, that it certainly would be easier for him to hate this elf if he were ugly.

He has never been especially sensitive to the aesthetic experiences, but the elf walking in front of his eyes was stiring in him some hidden strings which Thorin would prefer to remain intact. It is easy to look at something ugly and then justify your dislike and hatred for this thing with its ugliness. It is much harder when the thing you are looking at is beautiful.

"I will repeat my question one more time.", the Elvenking Thranduil stood right in front of the dwarf. He looked down on him. It was his usual way of acting – he was arrogant, haughty and full of majesty. "What were you and your comrades doing in my kingdom?"

"And I will repeat my answer: I wanted to ask your subjects for food. We did not eat for two days."

"You think I am narrow-minded?'', Thranduil was clearly losing patience.

"No, of course not. I would not even dare to think so.", light mockery in Thorin's raised voice made the royal guards look anxiously at their ruler.

Elf pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. For a moment, he was thinking about something and then he said:

"Well then, if you do not want to talk and you just want to mock me, so be it!", he waved his hand, looking at his guards. "Take him away and lock him up in dungeons with the rest of his companions! Let them rot in the place where they belong. You want to be a king, Thorin Oakenshield? You will! However, not under the Mountain, but in a cold, damp underground, where you should remain for ages!"

Two armed guards approached the dwarf and grabbed him by the arms. He began to kick and jerk his hands, but he was too short to be able to withstand two strong, well-built elves.

"And you dare to call yourself the great king of the elves? You, who lack honor! You, who lack heart and understanding! I tell you: you are just a freak of nature! She decided to mock everyone and bestow delusory beauty upon creation so slimy and cruel! u!", shouted Thorin. He spat on the ground.

When the guards led the dwarf to the dungeons, Thranduil exhaled air and gracefully turned on his heel. He slowly climbed the stairs and sat on his ornamented throne.

* * *

Days, weeks and months were passing and dwarves began to lose hope. They knew that they won't see the daylight ever again. They felt more and more tired. If it wasn't for nutritious, good food, which they have from servants (Thorin suspected that this was king's son doing), they would probably weaken very quickly. None of them knew how many days have passed, but they felt like there were a lot of them. Every hour felt like forever... But, at last, one afternoon...

* * *

"King wants to see you.", tall, dark-haired guard opened the cell door, and stood aside, letting Thorin through.

Fili, sitting in a near cell, grabbed cold, steel bars, and stuck his head out.

Thorin straightened up and walked out of his cell with a serious look on his face. He tried to keep a proud attitude, but the days spent in a cramped, dark and damp cell, took its toll on him. His legs were shaking and he felt a little dizzy.

Slowly, a little unsteadily, he followed the guard. His companions were sticking out their heads to see what was happening. Kili caught Thorin by the lap of his tunic, immobilizing him for a moment.

"Take care!", he said quietly.

Thorin looked at the guard's back and nodded his head.

* * *

This wasn't what he expected, when the guard brought him to the royal chambers. Everything, but not this. Thranduil stood in big pond filled with shiny, greenish water which was reaching his waist. He was naked, and although Thorin could see only his back and long, blonde hair, he felt a sudden urge to look away. The guard who was standing next to the dwarf, was blushing. He seemed to be ashamed.

"You can go now.", king's deep voice made the elf jumped. He bowed and left the room.

Thranduil took his hair and gently squeezed wet hair tips. Then he rinsed his forearms from the remnants of odd-looking, shining fluid which was covering his skin and slowly walked toward his adorned coat lying on the ground near the pond.

''_He has no honor AND definitely no shame'', _thought Thorin.

He tried not to look, but something, some magical, beguiling power (as he tried to explain the reasons for his later behavior), drew his gaze to Thranduil's naked body.

"Let us stop pulling that skin-game on each other, shall we? What exactly is your point?", asked Thorin, his voice rising.

The Elvenking picked up his coat and he threw it over his shoulders. When he did it, the dwarf felt a strange relief.

"My point?", Thranduil smiled and picked up a silver glass of wine standing on a little round table. "Strange ideas come to mind in captivity."

Thorin snorted and looked at the greenish water. He didn't remember when was the last time he had an opportunity to bathe.

Thorin's gaze didn't escape elf's attention.

"Go right ahead.", he said, taking a sip of wine.

His words seemed so strange and unrealistic, that dwarf shook his head.

"Beg your pardon?"

Thranduil sighed.

"I am not blind, I see that you would like to take a bath."

Thorin barely stopped the explosion of hysterical laughter.

"First you refuse me and my friends food, then you locked us up in dungeons, and now you encourage me to bathe?! This is ridiculous!", he shouted.

"Bath has charms to soothe even a savage beast and it also calms your nerves.", said Thranduil. He took another sip of wine. "It is a good introduction to negotiations and… you see, I have something to offer. So, please, take the opportunity and bathe, because who knows how long it will be before my mood to talk vanishes."

Thorin was dumbfounded. He blinked a few times and looked again at the water. Then he noticed something. Thranduil wanted him to bath in th r? Wasn't it some kind of a humiliation? It was just like kneeling before him and recognizing his superiority.

"I insist.", Thranduil approached the pond. "Are you ashamed of your dwarven body, oh proud, great, Thorin Oakenshield? Or maybe you despise me so much that you do not want to bathe in the same water as me? I could order my servants to change it, but, well, you see ...", he sighed. "... I think it would be a big waste of the **nature's benefits**.'', last words were uttered with emphasis, and they sounded a little bit sinister.

The dwarf clenched his fists. His proud soul could not bear it any longer. Never in his life has he heard so many mocking words spoken in his direction. He took up the gauntlet and began undressing. The whole time he was doing it, he felt Thranduil's cold gaze fixed on his body. When he finally was standing naked on the cold floor, he saw that the elf was slightly smiling. Without thinking about it, he slowly plunged into the water. When he started washing his abdomen, a faint scent of moss and dew surrounded him. At first he thought that it was just a water's smell, but after a while, when he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder, he realized he was wrong. He turned around immediately.

Right in front of his eyes stood Thranduil. Thorin couldn't understand why he didn't hear king entering the water. Apparently, he was so engrossed in washing himself that he didn't even notice. He stepped back and frowned. His breathing quickened. Of course, he couldn't help but notice that Thranduil is naked. Again.

"What are you doing?'', he asked, his eyes wandering somewhere around elf's abdomen.

"I think it is time for negotiations.", Thranduil approached him and extended his hand. He touched his neck.

Thorin's heart began to pound rapidly under the influence of adrenaline. ''_Maybe now'',_ he thought. ''_Maybe in this humiliating situation_...'', but no, even then, Thorin still could not hate him...


End file.
